The present invention relates to an inflatable apparatus for helping to protect a vehicle occupant in the event of a side impact to a vehicle and/or a vehicle rollover.
It is known to inflate an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device to help protect a vehicle occupant in the event of a vehicle collision. One particular type of inflatable vehicle occupant protection device is an inflatable curtain that inflates from the roof of the vehicle downward inside the passenger compartment between a vehicle occupant and the side structure of the vehicle in the event of a side impact or rollover. A known inflatable curtain is inflated from a deflated condition by inflation fluid directed from an inflator to the inflatable curtain through a fill tube.
The present invention relates to an apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle that has a side structure and a roof. The apparatus comprises an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device that is inflatable away from the vehicle roof into a position between the side structure of the vehicle and a vehicle occupant. The inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, when inflated, has a perimeter at least partially defined by an upper edge, a lower edge, and front and rear portions spaced apart horizontally along the upper and lower edges. An inflation fluid source provides inflation fluid for inflating the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device.
A flexible elongated member has a first end connected to the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device at a first location spaced away from the upper edge on the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device and an opposite second end connected to the vehicle side structure at a second location. The inflatable vehicle occupant protection device, prior to Inflation, is folded along a first line such that a lower portion of the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device overlies an upper portion of the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device and such that the first end of the flexible elongated member is positioned adjacent the upper edge of the inflatable vehicle occupant protection device.